Of Blood And Bodies
by Alex William O
Summary: Bounty hunter L'orage has been on the run for far too long. All he wants is to be left alone, to live his life, but will old ghosts continue to chase after him?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Spirits, Demons and Blood Mages, Oh My!

I am not entirely sure how long have been in the fade. Time is twisted and almost non-existent. Gwen, a spirit of wisdom, has become my closest friend in this place. Along with a spirit of compassion, whom I have dubbed as Adelaide. Adelaide was the spirit who brought me to see wisdom. I think my situation frustrates Gwen. We have been through every one of her books. I have learned a lot because of this, as it turns out I didn't even have to read the book to obtain the knowledge inside it. I think that's the way she made them, though. I ended up touching a tome about elven arcane warriors. I learned everything an arcane warrior spent their lives learning in just a matter of moments, it left my head pounding for what felt like a lifetime. Gwen scolded me for touching her books, but after I explained that I wanted to help her find a way to get me back instead of her doing all the work she calmed down some. After that, she started bringing me or possibly making me, books that my mind or spirit could handle at one time, that and I could read them. I learned a lot about magic this way, I even learned elvish and Orlesian.

I flopped onto a couch, Gwen made it after I had told her what they were made of and what they were for, and opened a book. I was currently reading a book about Ferelden history. My memories about the world of Thedas were becoming faded and harder and harder to remember as time went on. If not for the book, Gwen was really patience with me in this matter, I made I would most likely have forgotten my life back on earth. When I was not learning something I was reading it. It was most likely the only thing keeping me sane.

About half way through my book, Adelaide came in with another spirit, one that I didn't know. I closed my book waved Adelaide over.

"Adel, who is your friend?" Adelaide huffed at my name for her. Both she and Gwen didn't like the names at first. Then I told them the basis of the names and the grudgingly accepted them.

"I am a spirit of Valour! Why is it that you call Compassion something that she is not?" He was loud. I blinked a few times at the sound of another male voice and the fact that he almost made my ear drums pop if that was possible.

"Nice to meet you Valour, I call compassion Adelaide so that I can tell the difference between her and other spirits of compassion. Adelaide means 'noble kind' I thought it fit rather well." I defended my intentions. Before Valour could do any more harm Adelaide told him enough.

"Zachary, I brought Valour here in hopes he would teach you how to fight." I nodded my head in understanding, magic, in theory, was good and all, but in action, I haven't done it yet. "He agreed so long as you prove yourself." At that, I blanked. That might be a bit of a problem. I am a little coward. I smiled at Valour after a moment.

"I can try."

Training with Valour was interesting, to say the least. He was always pushing me to my limits, and seeing as that I don't have a body to feel pain with it was when I started screaming in frustration.

"Face your fear, do not hold back!" Valour yelled at me from the sidelines as I unleashed a fireball at a despair demon. In my anger, I screamed at the thing, lifted the sword Valour made for me and removed its head from its shoulders. I huffed for a moment, the silence was getting a little tense.

"You called me Victor." I licked my lips in thought.

"Did I?" Valour nodded his head once. I pondered it a moment. "Well then, Victor it

is."

I think Victor likes having a name other than Valour. I mean every time it comes out of his mouth he smiles. I might have to mix it up every now and again because I really don't want to deal with a fear demon, the idea of that just gives me the willies. Then again I think spirits within this world feel more than just what they call themselves, but only little hints of them. Nothing too extreme, after all, they are the extreme of the emotion they claim to be. Then again, you know what I am just going to stop trying to understand, I'll give myself a headache.

"Something feels different," I mumble as I look around, my eyebrows came together in thought, where or what is causing this. I turned to Gwen, who sat next to me, her brow knit together just like mine.

"I feel it as well." I watched as she stood. "Someone is coming." I took that as a bad thing, normally Gwen and I would only get our spirit friends as guests, but this felt different. Powerful, not that Gwen wasn't powerful, this just felt... Negative... A demon! I pulled out my sword and my quarterstaff, to be honest, I felt a little like Gandalf and waited. Out of habit, I took a deep breath. Soon enough Adelaide and Victor came tumbling into the library looking a little frazzled. They both barely had enough time to move our way before a demon of Desire and a few Rage demons at her heals. I dislike Desire demons, and I don't like Rage demons all that much either. Both of my friends that have arrived stand in front of myself effectively blocking me from their view. Gwen takes a step forward.

"What is it that you want Desire?" I am not all that surprised that Gwen is so calm in this situation, it also might add that this is her domain and she could put Desire in a maze with so many tricks and riddles that it would make her want to go back the way she came.

"Oh, don't play dumb Wisdom it doesn't suit you. You know very well why I am here. I want that human soul you have been keeping as a pet for the last little while. You see I was summoned to find a soul to fill a body with." I didn't like the sounds of 'summoned' or 'fill a body with' for that matter. It sounds an awful lot like blood magic and I don't like blood magic. Adelaide held out her hand to me, I brushed the back of my sword hand against it and felt the instant emotion of calm.

"Hm, who summoned you?" Gwen asked I don't think she would ever command for anything even if it was just answered.

"A blood mage, the pathetic thing really, I intend to take over his body after." Yep-nope, not good. Don't like demons. It was amazing how Gwen could get all this information out of a demon without it lying to her, then again what would a demon gain from lying to the other spirit? Nothing. That is when I saw the rage demons, while Desire was keeping us distracted, they were slinking around us. I tapped Victor's leg with my quarterstaff gaining his attention. I nodded my head towards one of the flaming creatures of rage. He scoffed.

"Do you think such cowardly tactics will work on us Demons! Do not take us lightly you fools! I will not let harm come to Zachary!" He bellowed I don't kid he bellowed it out like a battle cry. He readied his massive two handed sword in preparation to fight, Adelaide pulled out a set of daggers at the same time as Victor. Gwen was now next to me. I watched as the surrounding area became a maze. I lifted my middle finger to make a rather rude gesture at the Desire demon as the wall blocked her off from the four of us.

"We do not have much time before the find a way to get to us," Gwen stated she turned on her heel to face behind us. I did the same. "You must leave, go to where Desire was summoned. They only way I know of for you to get out of this without someone controlling you or dead is to enter the body on your free will. No demons in the matter." Gwen started to move forward and at a fast pace that I wasn't so used to having her use.

"Gwen, the way your talking, it's like you don't intend to come with." She stopped in her stride for just a moment but kept walking.

"I will not be. This is my domain, I will not leave it for demons to squander around in. I would rather the knowledge I have gathered be lost rather than used for their deviant ways." She placed her hand on a wall making a door, more like a portal. It probably was going to take us to where we needed to go.

"I will stay with Wisdom." I turned to Victor. He faced Gwen and then spoke again. "It is not within your nature to fight, so I will fight for you. May my sword and shield protect you." I should have expected that one, I nodded my head to him.

"If you stay with Wisdom, I will help Zachary. I think it fitting really, I helped him when he arrived and now I shall help him as he leaves." I smiled a little sadly. I had to leave, I had to leave these wonderful people, fuck what the Chantry thinks, these people are the most amazing people I will ever know and now I had to leave. If I could cry I probably would be.

"Thank you."

I groaned out loud as I gained consciousness. I wasn't in the fade any longer, that much I could feel. I lay where I am for a while as the last few memories of my time in the fade come back to me. Adelaide died, she died, and for all, I know Gwen and Victor could be dead as well. I could feel the tears running down my new found flesh, I could feel my nose start to stuff as the tears continued to flow blocking the stench of blood. I opened my eyes to come face to face with a madman grinning from ear to ear, he could win a prize for a Joker imitation. I glared at the man, I don't even think he is worthy of being called a man, he is defiantly a monster. I looked past his head with a glare still on my face. The ceiling was defiantly French, I should say Orlisian, in style. Either that meant I was in an older house in Ferelden, or I was in Orlais.

"You're awake!" The man spoke in French, defiantly Orlais, he jumped up and down as if he had just done an act of god. Technically he did, but I won't let him know that.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Templars

I wore relatively formal clothes. Then again I could be wrong in that aspect, after all for Orlais these clothes seemed simple, and I hated them simply for that fact that the man sitting on the other side of the table gave them to me. So far he seemed really stupid. He had told me everything about his life. Right down to what he wanted me to do for him.

"So once we deal with the templars we will move on to the Chantry and from their chaos will fall". He giggled a little at his own thoughts. I wondered if he even knew I was capable of dealing with templars. After I know I have magical talents, ones that let me use weapons with ease, but he didn't know that. How could he know that without contracting a demon, whom very few I have met and left alive, would know of my existence? I did my best not to glare too much. I wanted to keep my own intent a secret from this freak of nature. I intended to walk away from this place and go very far away. "You are an awfully quite person. Tell me something about yourself?" I bit my tongue in an attempt not to scream at the man. After a moment of silence, he looked confused. "Perhaps you can't understand me... All well easily fixed". I watched as he brought a knife to his wrist.

"I understand you just fine." I finally spoke and in French. My voice didn't seem like my own. This stopped him from cutting his wrist, that in turn made me relax just a little bit. I really didn't want to become subject to more blood magic.

"Oh, well then, why don't you answer my questions?" I smiled slightly at this question. I answered truthfully.

"I feel no need for you to know more then you should." This man didn't deserve to know anything about me or my life whether it be from the fade or before that. This seemed to throw him off a great deal. I took the opportunity to stand. "I'll be headed off to bed now". With that, I left the dining room to the room I was to stay in. I looked at the many suits of armor along the hallways. Many had weapons attached to them. I would have to pick up a sword off one. It didn't matter if it was for decoration, I would have to assume that this time period didn't make weapons for decoration, and even then it is still a weapon no matter how dull.

I sat on the bed, that I was to call my own for however long I was to stay here, and tried to calm my nerves. To be honest I didn't think I could kill a person. Demons were one thing but people, no matter how evil, where people. No, I didn't agree with blood magic, but that didn't make a person evil. Evil is just a concept of society. For instance, slavery is normal in Tevinter, but everywhere else it is viewed as an evil thing. However, I really don't like slavery and will agree with anyone that says it is bad and or evil. I stood and looked out the window to the room I was staying in. Forest lay beyond the garden walls. Very thick dense forest, followed by a lake. Or what appeared to be one in my eyes. Then again in my life, before I grew up near one of the great lakes, they would look more like an ocean to these people. However there looked to be blinking lights on the other side. Perhaps a city. Maybe even Val Royeaux. If it was I would be happy. No way I blood mage would go into Chantry central not without using magic at least. I felt the beginnings of a plan.

Getting out of this hell hole was going to be harder than I thought. He had random spots for demons to appear if you got too close to them. Even outside had them. As soon as you triggered it he would come running. However, I would have dealt with the demons by the time he got there. He started to make a game out of it. More powerful demon traps started to be laid, and in different spots. I became very good at telling where a summoning circle or trap had been placed and I had only been there a few days.

I pried open the window in my room open with a dagger I had nicked from one of the many rooms. A second one remained attached to my belt along with a sword. Opening the window enough to let me out I stood on the ledge of the window. I pulled out the second dagger. I jammed each into the wall above the window. I started to make my way to the ground safely. Once on the ground, I put the dagger back onto my belt. I pressed myself to the wall. There were about 20 yards of ground to sprint across before getting into the cover of the thick forest. I took a deep breath and booked it as fast as I could. I was pretty good at sprinting way back. I hoped I was still good. Once in the cover of the forest, I slowed down to a light jog. I hoped to god that the blood mage didn't see me running. If I was right I would have an hour or so of running to make it to that lake, it so happens that it isn't a lake at all and in fact part of an ocean. From the manor, you could see Val Royeaux if only faintly. It would take a day and a half to get to Val Royeaux over the water. After a while, I made it to a road. I stood on the edges of the forest still bathed in shadow. One way would lead back the crazy man's house, classic horror story. So I did something most people in this world would never do, I looked up. The stars were breathtaking and so much more lighting up the night sky. I shook my head to rid my distraction and started looking for anything blocking out the stars in a flying like motion. I saw nothing but bats, so I made a dash across the dirt road and into the shadows of the forest on the other side.

Turned out that the city I could see wasn't Val Royeaux. It was a small port town called Val Firmin. It also happened to be connected to the imperial highway. So one way or another I would or could make it to Val Royeaux. I was exhausted by the time I made it to the center of the town. It was busy, very busy. Carts with goods for sale, merchant stalls with said goods being sold. Everything from fine silks to wine was for sale. That is when I felt like beating my head against a wall. I had no money to get a place to stay. I took a deep breath; I had spent the night running all the way here, I even made do to trudge into to the lake enough to shake a tracking dog off my sent, not that they would have those here now that I think about it. I must have been swaying pretty badly because someone placed a hand on my shoulder while my eyes were closed. I opened them as soon as the person did and just about had a stroke. The person in front of me, with a concerned look on their face, is a templar.

"Are you all right, sir?" They spoke in Orlisian, not much of a surprise "You look as if you haven't slept in hours." Now that I had gotten over my panic of meeting a templar face to face I smiled sleepily.

"I am afraid I haven't. I was robbed last night and had just enough time to leave before the bandits took my life along with my money." I got a sympathetic look in return for my lie. Apparently, it was believable.

"The Chantry here has plenty of space if you need a place to stay." Again I felt like beating my head on the wall, I forgot about the Chantry. How stupid can I be! I said my thanks to the templar. I know that I, myself have magical talents, but if I kept them to a minimum, I should be fine.

Not long after my encounter with the templar did I find the chantry. Always look for the biggest building. Despite feeling all the strength leaving my limbs I managed to open the door. Orlisian architecture sure was something, I admired the statues and carvings in the walls of the religious building as I walked. Eventually, I came to the pews in the building and sat down. I almost sighed in how comfortable they were. I must have been pretty tired of these wooden, most likely very uncomfortable, pew to be comfy. I looked around the room. A few others were sitting in the pews praying in a very different way than from back at home. I mimicked their movements and pretended to pray. I didn't close my eyes, I didn't exactly feel like falling asleep in a pew. After I did this for a few minutes I leaned back in the pew to start at the ceiling. Ornate paintings cover it. It reminded me of a famous painting back home, only this was a depiction of Andraste. It was a beautiful painting.

"Child, are you in need of help?" A kind looking older woman came into my vision, she wore robes of the Chantry, not that of a sister, but of higher rank. I sat up and faced her.

"Yes, I am afraid to say that I was robbed just last night and have no money to purchase a bed from a local inn."

"Then you are more than welcome to stay with the Chantry child. I am Revered Mother Annette, come I will show you to a room you may stay in as long as you like."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Double Life

I wanted to keep my time in this town minimal, but the people in this port city where kind and finding work was not all that hard. I had put my skills with a sword to use for many of the people here, I even managed to get my hands on a plain wooden staff. Nothing fancy about it. I could even be passed off as a walking stick. I had been saving money to get to Val Royeaux. Mother Annette was something of a godsend. She was more than accepting of me staying at the Chantry and for the most part, the templars left me alone. Well seeing as I didn't perform magic left right and center all was fine. I also kept my magic use to a minimum while outside of the city. I did not want to risk getting dragged to a circle of magi. Val Firmin was tiny compared to Val Royeaux, but It was also the same size as the town I grew up in. And that was about 500 people give or take a few but did they ever have money. Lots of money, so I took advantage of it. I became something of a mercenary. This became a problem when people started asking me to kill people. The first time this happened a noble lord attempted to hire me to kill someone at one of his parties. I declined by walking away, kinda offended that I would be asked to do such a thing. Killing people was not my thing. Eventually, people here started calling me L'orage, in English, it means the storm. I found it amusing, however, I also thought it sounded too much like orange. In the day time hours when I was more like me, I wore a plain white shirt and brown soft leather pants while I worked at the docks lifting heavy items for people.

"Bastien!" A young woman called from one of the many stalls set up near the docks. She had called be Bastien, a false name I took up just in case the freak of nature new my name. I smiled slightly and walked over. She was pretty, but far too young she looked to be almost 15, but if this world is anything like mine she is of marrying age and that scares me. That and her crush on me was very noticeably large. I happened to be a very kind person and helped people carry heavy things. She happened to be one of those people and took it a little too personal.

"Yes, Flore?" I stood off to the side of her stand so that she could continue to make money for her family. I spoke in my normal voice. As L'orage I spoke with a thick heavy french accent, it was a good way to keep people from connecting us as the same person.

"Mama told me that you were leaving town soon?" She seemed rather upset that I was leaving. I sighed quietly.

"Yes, I am." The whole town knew I wanted to leave, to where they did not know I kept that well hidden. Many people seemed to like me and didn't want me to leave. I had to leave. I know I had only been there a year or so, but who knew when creepy blood mage would find me.

"But you can't!" she stopped what she was doing and turned to face my hands on her hips. I sighed again this time more audible.

"No buts, Flore, I am leaving that is the end of this argument." I walked away at a steady pace. I made my way to the Chantry and made sure my bag was packed. I bluntly ignored her as she called for Bastien and kept walking.

Dressed as L'orage I stood at one of the many docks in town next to a ship the was leaving for Val Royeaux the next day. L'orage's outfit was ... Suspicious, clearly I didn't want people to know what I look like. I had a hood large enough to shadow my face. A mask that covered the bottom half of my face, it was attached to my shirt made of the same material. The long sleeves covered most of the skin. Only my fingers were viable. Leather armor was donned under a snug leather jacket that my hood was connected to. Soft leather pants protected my legs and knee high leather boots without heels kept my steps silent. My sword sat on my hip and my staff in hand. Sitting on one of the many creates yet to be loaded onto the ship I waited for the ship captain to show up after having to pull back his men to the ship after a successful day. Once his men stumbled on bored I cleared my throat. He jumped out of his skin I held in a laugh, L'orage's thing was silence and very few words. I tossed him a coin pouch that he stumbled to catch. It held 10 gold pieces.

"Val'Royeaux" was the only thing I said. He just nodded his head. I walked on to the ship and hid below deck. I felt sick most of the trip to Val Royeaux, I actually had to make my way above deck and watch the endless horizon to easy the sea sickness, not that I had gotten sick yet, I did not intend to ruin my dignity in such a way. I heard a boisterous laugh from my right. I turned my head only slightly to look at who it was that was laughing. The captain had an ear-splitting grin on his face as he walked over to me.

"I did not think that the famous L'orage of Val Firmin could be sea sick!" I just ignored him and turned back to face the ocean, again more like a lake, but ocean because it is still salt water. "Don't be making a mess of my ship yeah, gonna have to make you clean it!" At this, he laughed while I just glared pointedly at him as he gave my back a good slap. I might have stumbled if not for the railing.

After I got over my sea sickness and the odd balance that was required to walk on a ship, the five-day trip to Val Royeaux wasn't that bad.

Once in Val Royeaux I could feel the culture, singing was everywhere and women and men alike whispered, gossiped and fawned over the latest fashions. The buildings had at least one story, and at most 5. The tops were decorated in gold leaf showing off the wealth of the city, most of the walls where either a rich blue or white clearly showing off the Orlisian pride. I had noticed all of that and more as I walked down the back streets as to not pick up attention with my crazy dark outfit that clearly was not within the current fashion trends. Once I was out of site of anyone and everything I took the liberty to remove my dark outfit in exchange for more common clothes that I picked up a while back in Val Firmin.

I kept my distance from the richer end of town and stuck to ally ways. Not smart but I have this tendency not to like nobles as the last time I talked with one I almost hit the bastard. Eventually, I made it to an inn near the more common district but still close to the merchant side of town. This one was more within my price range until I needed to pack up and leave. I was also glad I had learned to read their version of french while in Val Firmin else I would have walked into some very shifty looking places that reminded me of the courtesan's houses from assassins creed. I repressed a shiver down my spine every time one on of the women, and men for that matter attempted to gain my attention outside of their lucrative business establishments.

I flopped down onto my rather comfy bed, well at least compared to the ones they had in the Chantry that is, and sighed in content and caught myself humming a tune from my world of origin. I shook off the feeling of homesickness as I had many times before and stood up from my bed and examined my small room further. On a small one person table on the other side of the room sat my coin purse with the key to the room. And next to the chair at it was a chest for any belongings I had or wanted to store here, not that I would want to. No any money that I earned would be kept in a different location and a well hidden one. The only thing that would be here would be clothing. The wall had wallpaper on them rather than plaster, gold leaf patterns on blue. With white wood trimming. Very Orlisian I realized and while on that thought I wondered what the streets of Denerim actually looked like now or even what the even Menrathos in Tevinter. The culture of the world was always something that interested me, and architecture was a good way to see the culture of any civilization. Now I was curious to see what Val Royeaux looked like on the main streets and where people live. I was one thing to see the underground but it is always nice to see above that.

I smiled as I walked down one of the busier market streets I kept my sword at my hip leaving my staff back at my room. I would need to find a smith that could make a staff that could collapse and be hidden on my person, but that kind of object would be expensive and most likely dwarven. I would also not want the connection to be made to me as I am. L'orage was a fine to have connected to that but not me. Just my back up sword hung at my hip even. It was just to hopefully to ward off cut purses even then I kept my coin on the inside of my jacket inside pocket that I sewed in, not at my hip. Call me paranoid, okay so maybe I was, but I really didn't like money getting taken from me without my consent.

I hummed to myself as I walked down the streets of Val Royeaux. It was a beautiful city. Flowers hung from windows of all colors and the walls varied from blues to pinks to yellows. And the streets were kept pristinely. They probably had an underground sewer system and that impressed me just as much as how clean they kept the streets. Now that I was at the thought of how clean this city was it reminded me that it was the capital of Orlias. I eventually came across a little fountain with very little city noise and only a few people sitting around reading books. Looking at the buildings it turns out that it was a library courtyard. I was a little shocked to see something like this open to the public. But by the looks of it most of the people entering the place where nobles. Looking at the scene was breathtaking, I felt the itch to go buy art supplies, but I doubted that they would be the same as from... The sudden bout of homesickness washed over me again I closed my eyes took in a breath and glared at the sky and stormed my way off to find a market stall that sold paper and charcoal I would not let the situation crush my will to make art.

Eventually, I had claimed a blank leather-bound book and some charcoal. I sat in the courtyard of the library for a few hours trying to get used the charcoal, having not used much of it before, but I managed to get the same range of tones I would with a graphite pencil once upon a time. By time I realized the time of day it was dark and voices from the main street gained my attention. I cursed my lack of observation while under the influence of art. I quickly rapped the charcoal and stuffed it into my jacket and tucked my new found sketchbook under one arm and made my way around the allies. I eventually came across a clock set in one of the market squares and stood shocked at the time it, wasn't even 8 o'clock. I huffed it must be becoming the winter months.

I made it back to my inn with little issue, the winter season coming around was going to bother me some, but it wasn't something I was unused to. I had a feeling that Orlias would have much less snow that Canada ever did, however, the colder weather meant warmer clothes would be needed. I had a feeling this country focused more on the way something looked rather than for warmth. I would have to go to the lower end tailors to get clothes made for warmth.

After a few weeks, my line of work as L'orage became very lucrative. A lot of nobles caught the wind of my being able to take in people alive. I did a lot of mercenary work of the guard of Val Royeaux. They often asked for dead or alive but I still squeamish about killing anything other than a demon so I always brought them in alive. Many nobles wanted to scare their adversaries not kill them... However for the number of people that wanted to scare was equal to the people that wanted to kill their enemies so it was a little tricky to figure out who was who. However getting the answers out of them was easy and as soon as they had told me I was out the closest window. I was quickly becoming good at the art of parkour. I also had a little help with some imaginative magic at my fingertips. Literally, my hands became magnets to the walls I climbed. Or at least when I did climb. The magic I put into my hands while climbing also helped slightly with the fear of falling to my death. But the trick was also becoming an easy get away from the Templars. I would run down an ally way and, bam, I would be missing. It was incredible how no one bothered to look up. Of course, the templars hadn't found out that L'orage was, in fact, the new art apprentice to Jaque Garcon. If I had my way they never would. Of course, this also meant that a large sum of my money made while being a mercenary was spent on clothes and food. And nothing fancy either, as being the apprentice to Jaque Garcon, was not the most wealthy job. It probably would only feed me, but seeing as that I had been moved into his home I had to be even more careful about not being in my room by sunrise. I was beginning to understand why super hero's had such a hard time living a double life, it was exhausting.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I really started to hate noble Orlisian fashion, and this was my first time putting it on. It made my back stiff and sore. I mean being a man had to have its perks but the large puffy stuff on the shoulders felt unneeded, I would prefer metal armor to this crap. The pants were far too tight. I mean I wore leather pants as L'orage but this was just stupid, it cupped all the wrong places. I huffed in annoyance as I squirmed in discomfort. My teacher, Jaque Garcon, gave me a nasty glare. I had been working under the man for eight months but he seemed to think it was the time I learned the ways of the Orlisian court. Jaque had been commissioned to make a portrait of the new empress. So, of course, the two of us were to dress in our best clothes of the newest fashions. So in return to his nasty glare, I glared back. I was going to so change into my worn soft leather pants the first chance I got. I don't care if the Orlisian nobles gave me glares of doom, their opinions meant nothing to me.

"Stop squirming, there is nothing wrong with the clothes your wearing, boy." Garcon was old and far from what his last name actually meant. His gray hair was thinning and his eyes were small and sharp. I glared at him again, we hated each other for the most part. I appeared as a young lad with a passion for freedom and art as I saw fit. He saw art as merely something to please the nobles of Orlias. Though the man was unaware of my late night activities and tried to push me to the brink of complaining of being overworked. Though I always got what he wanted to be done... Mind you sometimes magic helped. For instance trying to wash out paint stains from everything the man owned. That was near impossible without destroying my own skin with chemicals that just didn't exist. I had a feeling that the man was getting wind of my magical abilities. I would have to leave soon for a different country, I had more than enough savings. With every bit of coin I earned, I got gems I had something of a treasure trove at this point. Of course, I kept some coin for spending. I was more than sure that the captain of a boat wouldn't accept jewels.

Le palais d'hiver, also known as the winter palace in English, was where Empress Celene made her home for the winter, along with her cousins, was three-day boat ride and a day by coach. We would be spending six months outside Val Royeaux. As a part-time mercenary, I didn't like this. The game the nobles played in the palace became dark and L'orage was not a killer, and nor was I for that matter, but as an artist, I was blown away by the palace. Halamshiral was the city that the winter palace held it's home. It was a mix of elven and Orlisan buildings at this point. Orlisian buildings stood out against the clearly elven ones. Orlisian buildings tended to be ornate and have gold leaf on them making them shine, whereas the Elven ones were more down to earth more natural to fit the landscape around Halamshiral, that happened to mostly be trees, but none the less I was reminded of the culture that was ripped from the elves hundreds of years ago because they refused to follow the Chantry's teachings.

The palace was breathtaking. The whole place screamed wealth and so little time on rich people's hands but did these rich people ever have taste. It was also huge. And finding a place to Set up the canvas for painting was a royal pain in the butt. Literally, I had to move the canvas at least a dozen times, at one point I just gave up and picked a room to set up in empresses permission to have her painting painted there or not. It had an amazing view of a small garden with a fountain that bubbled slightly. Birds chirped to themselves minding their own when an elf came in a little panicked. I opened up one of the doors for the poor woman and shut it behind her. At a quick glance, she was just a maid. Then again she could have been a bard and I wouldn't have known the difference. I continued my work when a noble lord walked into, more like stormed, I smiled at him while he adjusted his clothes. His codpiece was out of place (a piece of clothing that I refused to wear), and his clothing a little ruffled. He was going to rape that poor girl. He cleared his throat and straightened his spine. I felt the urge to punch the man, no one should treat anyone that way.

"Forgive me seria, but have you seen a young elven lady come through here?" I smiled at him, even though it felt forced.

"No, I am afraid I haven't, there are many servants here my lord, perhaps you might find the lady you are looking for in the servants quarters?" He nodded his head in thanks and took off the way he came. I rolled my eyes and snickered at the fool. The young lady would probably tell her friends and words would spread through the servants quarters faster than a wild fired in dry season.

Empress Celene was a lady of power, she played the game well and somewhat attractive considering the men in the area eyeing her the way they were. I will say she is pretty but not something I find attractive. I was going to be lectured in front of the court that stayed by the Empresses side at all times by my teacher for setting up in a different room but Celene's curiosity got the better of her and asked to see the room I had selected. I felt slightly smugger after she agreed that the room was best. Of course, that didn't mean that my teacher wasn't going to treat me like a servant or try to. He wouldn't succeed in the winter palace, I might have a sarcastic mouth most of the time, but that didn't mean that I was incapable of trying to play the game. I spoke out of turn speaking for myself instead of my teacher, and often gaining the empresses favor with all my suggestions. The woman was very easy to read, I was even able to see her fancy for on of her elven servants, Briala I believe her name was. I wondered why such a woman made empress, but then I realized that the court would have wanted someone far easier to manipulate than her cousin Grand Duke Gaspard, who failed at playing the game. Turns out that the lady was able to play the game and manipulate the court to her whim. Women were not to be messed with, games like these they played every day back home ... Women were vicious when done wrong to with these kinds of games.

Four months passed, and then word came to my ears about a noble lord who had been absent from the court for some years was coming back. On several occasions, I found myself so tense I couldn't sleep. One night I got a glimpse of the noble that came back to court charming the new found Empress. I nearly had a panic attack, I quickly got out of there, I took servants paths to my room so that I need not be seen on my way back to my rooms. The nobleman that was back at court was none other than the crazy blood mage responsible for my coming here. I threw a bag on my bed and dressed In L'orage outfit faster than I ever have. I would have to backtrack to Val Royeaux in order to get my treasure trove from my room back at the old man's studio. I vaguely wondered how much of a crime it would be to steal a horse from the royal family and put it aside that worry for later, I had to leave as soon as possible. I made it out of the city of Halamshiral and stole a horse from the gate. Let the court think what it wanted to.

Eventually, I got on a boat to Val Royeaux, it was uneventful at it was last time. I am starting to think the winter month where the easy months of travel on the waking sea.

Now that I was back in the beautiful city of Val Royeaux I felt myself relax just a little. I listened carefully to the rumors in the grand bazaar. Apparently, the painter that was hired to paint the new Empresses painting was murdered, some are saying by his apprentice whom couldn't be found. Others say that L'orage was seen leaving the palace as if a demon was at his heals and he was responsible others argued that L'orage refused to kill so it couldn't have been him. I laughed a little but also cursed. I had to leave Orlias now. I found my way by rooftop to the little studio and cursed at the presence of the guard of Val Royeaux there. So I waited for nightfall before entering. My current outfit wasn't exactly the best for sneaking in during daylight hours after all.

After about 3 hours of waiting, I wanted to smack something. What where these guards waiting for? None other than me! I wanted to smack something, but I held in the urge till I could safely do so without gaining attention.

When nightfall hit I was eager to move, and I did. Once inside I was face to face with guard messing with the things in my tiny room. Promptly put the man to sleep with magic. I picked up a spare set of clothes and replaced them with my fancy noble ones and found my treasure trove that I am glad sir guard didn't find. I pulled the floor boards in my closet and came face to face with my treasure. I stuffed as much as I could in my bag, gems happened to be lighter than gold and I could carry quite a few. The gold that I had was a small coin purse with about 50 gold or so. While the guard was out cold I changed into clothes I never wore and donned a fancy hat and mask. I looked the part of an Orlisian merchant now. Or perhaps a merchant's son, yeah that one would be more likely. Once I was a safe distance from my home of over a year now I stepped out on the street and made my way for the gates in the north rather than the port where I had arrived earlier that day. I easily got hold of a horse through legal means.

"Monsieur, are you sure you want to be leaving at night, bandits are a common thing on the highway." I smiled at the man from on top of a strong working horse that would be able to take much more than one of those ones with spindly legs. It would not be as fast but it would have more endurance, thus I would be able to go longer periods of time riding rather than walking.

"I do intend to ride through the night Monsieur, I am more than capable of defending myself from bandits." it was true L'orage was more than capable of taking care of himself, so why couldn't a young merchant's son run from home? Then again I probably just came off as cocky and irresponsible, but that was the point. I would be glad to rid myself of these fancy clothes as soon as I was out of Orlias. After about a three days of travel, I found myself in Cumberland, a Nevarran port city. I had to admit the city of the dead was a little creepy having to enter the city through. I also had to admit that it was a good line of defense with a land invasion. Just unleash the dead on them. The very idea of facing a undead army gave me a shiver.

I got myself in a room to a decent inn in the merchant's area rather than the lower end of town, but not the super rich area of the city either. I did some shopping like selling my horse and trading some gems for coin. I even got a map of Cumberland and the free marches here. Nevarren maps had been extraordinarily expensive in Orlais but while I heard I was going to buy one damn it. I wanted to know how to get to the free marches, what was the best way. I was going to hide in the most un-mage friendly city there was and get away with being a mage. Kirkwall was infamous for being hateful to mages because it was Templar central. Now if that wasn't the place to hide I didn't know what was.

I looked at the map carefully once in my room, even in Navarra I still had to pay a large amount for the most detailed map I could fine from here to Kirkwall. I glared daggers, it seemed that the road between here and there was not there at all so I would have to hop onto a boat.

The next day I felt like I was going to murder something. Cumberland was the only port city Nevarra had with the waking sea so it was HUGE, thus making it almost impossible to find a ship going to Kirkwall.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I had to say that Kirkwall's chains were not all that intimidating, the massive statues of men sobbing into their hands carved into the stone face was. It was something that chilled me to the bone. Slavery was not something that existed before. It was a long-forgotten notion, Canada didn't have slavery not once was it ever mentioned at being something Canada had. It was something we helped ex-slaves get away from, but this was horrifying to think that countries in this world still had slaves. I felt like hitting something again only this time because the mistreating of someone just because of their race. I huffed to myself while at the docks, shook my head and walked off. It looked like quite a few people were here, or at least more than there normally should be. I shook my head and made my way into the city. My first goal gets a place to stay.

The city was just as big as Val Royeaux, only with a lot less well off population. It was also a lot grimier than most cities. I cringed at the grime all over the place. Maybe if I was lucky I could get a small house in between the rich area and the less fortunate. Walking past the alienge was strange it was much larger than most alienges I had seen. It also had the only tree in the whole city it seemed. I sighed at the mistreatment of elves, I hoped that humans would see how they are treating them was barbaric. I moved on in search of a house or inn where I could pertinently rent a room. Eventually, I came to a small well kept house. It had a few plants hanging from the windows. It looked homey. I walked up to the door and knocked on it. I came face to face with a little elderly lady who just glared at me. She used a cane but held her spine straight. She looked like she wasn't going to take shit from anyone, not even the Templars walking down the street headed to the circle.

"Out with it boy, what do you want." I was shaken from my slight shock at the stern tone the woman gave. I shook my head and smiled at her.

"My apologies, I was hoping to buy your home from you, but you don't seem like the type of person to want to let it go no matter the price. I will not bother you further." I turned to leave but the old lady used her cane to stop me from walking away farther than the last step.

"You like my home but you don't intend to stay long do you. You look like a lad with ghosts. Come inside, have some tea." I just about jumped with joy at the sound of tea. No one in Orlias understood the concept of tea at any given time of day. I imagine that in Tevinter they liked coffee rather than tea if coffee existed that is. I turned and nodded my head.

I had to say this lady could make a mean cup of tea. I smiled to myself as I sipped my tea while I sat in her living room kitchen area. It was small but it was homey as the outside, she had a dining table that sat next to the window. She had a vase of flowers sitting on the table as well. Little red curtains were open letting in the afternoon light. She had a back door as well leading to somewhere, possibly a back street. A set of stairs led up to a second story. It made me wonder what was up there.

She set her cup down, "Now I have a spare room upstairs it hasn't been in use for some time it's small but you can rent it one some conditions." I nodded my head for her to go on. "You are to eat dinner and breakfast with me. We are to talk about your day, no matter what you have done. In the morning you are going to tell me about your exploit's at night." I lifted my brow at her. I had not even mentioned anything about being a mercenary at night or what kind of job I would do in the day, but I guess this is what the lady meant by being hunted by ghosts. I nodded my head slowly in thought. "Rent will be 1 gold a month. I am sure this is something you can come up with easily enough. It will also cover any food and necessities you need." Yeah, that was something that could be easily done. Especially with the stash that is in my bag that I am purposefully not looking at. "On occasion, I want help with the house, there are some things I can't take care of any longer and no pets." I weighed the options I had. I sighed and nodded my head slowly.

"I agree to your terms." She never said I had to talk about my past.

After living in Kirkwall for a year I have learned that many people from Ferleden were fleeing the blight. I have also learned that a merc band in the area really want to hire me on, or at least L'orage. I refused to do that, so I did the same thing I did in Val Royeax, I did work for the guard of Kirkwall. I took in bandits and ruffians with broken bones and beaten bloody to them to be locked up. I got a nice sum of money from them for what I do at night considering that I make the city a safer place. So, in the end, I am not a merc, more like a bounty hunter. And I didn't mind it, it was more challenging than killing a person. Eventually, I came across a dwarf in high town that claimed his son was the best with enchantment, so as L'orage I approached the dwarf.

"Ah, sir, perhaps I could sell you these fine swords I have?" I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

"Non, but you can tell me more about your son's talents that I have heard so much about." I laid on the accent again. Eventually, I was going to muck up and use my regular voice.

"Ah, yes my son is what one of that tranquil call a savant. At the time I didn't think such a thing existed, but time and time again he has proved it." This dwarf sure new how to talk up his son's talents. "Isn't that right Sandal?" The man asked his son who just replied with, Enchantment! For some reason, I couldn't help but think these two were familiar. I shook my head free of the fog from trying to remember.

"Yes yes, savant. Could he enchant some items I have coming from Orizmar next week, preferably with lightning runes that I have? These were expensive runes master quality to my understanding. Now my items was a collapse staff made of metal that I had been wanting for some time and a very nice sword. I had to be very specific with what I wanted. The length of the blade, a height of the staff so on.

"Next week? Yes, I think we can, we won't be going on the expedition to the deep roads till the end of the month. In the meantime, we will be here. The name is Bodan Fedic, at your service."

"L'orage at yours. Please stay in the city till I get my items enchanted if you would." With that, I walked away pleased with my progress. I nodded my head in greeting to a woman with red hair that I had come to enjoy dealing with when it came to the guards as I walked past her post she was stationed at.

"L'orage, got a moment." I stopped at her reference to me and strolled back to her. "A friend of mine and I are headed out to the coast to deal with some bandits if you're interested you can join us. He is looking for someone with free time to help out, we are one man short. You will get paid I assure you." I tapped my masked chin with my free hand and nodded my head in agreement.

"Madam Aveline, it will be my pleasure. Where would you have me meet?"

"Just outside the east gates in an hour."

It was not something I normally did, acting as L'orage in the day, but money at the moment was tight after having spent most of it on getting special weapons from Orzamar. So L'orage was going to have some more 'fun' than normal.

I kept to the shadows of the gates while I waited for Aveline and her friend to show up, mind you I had been extraordinarily early. But I had grown paranoid the last few months as the merc band The Red Iron kept bothering me. Turns out that they had lost two of their best members after they left a contract with them that let them get into the city, so now they were pestering me to join them every chance they got. Not to mention the cotery and Athenril where pestering L'orage as well to join them. Smugglers were not going to get me to work for them. There was more of a chance that I was going to lock them up rather than work for them.

Soon enough I heard the clinking of Aveline's armor and two other sets of feet walking with her. Then I saw the most unusual sight, a dwarf with little facial hair with his chest slightly exposed to reveal chest hair, and a human man with the beard the dwarf should have had. A crossbow sat on the dwarfs back and the man held a staff. I was now curious. The man wore clothes similar to The Red Iron's uniform but more meant for a mage. Far less metal and leather. The dwarf wore clothes suggesting he had some kind of merchant backing.

"Aveline, where is the man you said would join us?" The man spoke in a charming yet slightly teasing tone. Rather than let Aveline suffer embarrassment further I stepped forward from the shadows silently. Not gaining their attention till I spoke, however, the dwarf noticed me before I could get too close, a rogue then.

"Oh, no, please don't leave without me," I said in the most monotone voice I could while still maintaining my french accent was a little difficult. I ended up sounding more amused by the end. I couldn't help but grin as the man turned to face me after having jumped, clearly not having seen me. "I am known as L'orage."

"Le orange?" The dwarf came out with. Most people in Kirkwall couldn't say it right anyway.

"L'orage, this is Varric Thetras and Garret Hawke." I bowed my head. "Hawke this is L'orage, the only bounty hunter that I can tolerate."

"Be careful now, we do not want the guards to think you care about me." I couldn't help but feel special now. I was the only bounty hunter she liked. Made me all fuzzy inside. This grin on my face could become a peranent thing I this conversation kept going.

"You are a friend L'orage, I keep tabs on my friends." I groaned out loud at that. She had to remind me that she had guards keep tabs on me. It became something of a game, and wreck on my nerves when it started, after a while. I had to lose the eyes that followed me to get home. I wasn't the only one to groan at that statement. Well, I groaned, the man, who is named Hawke, just huffed. Apparently, he was a friend of hers then.

"Well if you don't mind I would like to be home for dinner tonight," Varric stated.

"Lead the way, Aveline." Hawke gestured for her to take the lead.

SPIDERS! I hate spiders! Back home spiders never got to man-eating size. Nope no way, these things I will never get used to. Not in a million years. To say that I was caught off guard by the giant spiders was an understatement. I had blown up a few of them in my haste to keep them away from my person. I leaned heavily on my wooden staff breathing carefully. I was not up to dealing with spiders. I could hear the godforsaken dwarf laughing a little. I just huffed miserable at the fact that I had let them know I could use magic.

"Looks like the little bird is afraid of spiders." He joked.

"Oh do shut up you beardless dwarf. If templars end up after me I will have you hanged in front of the hanged man." I mumbled under my breath as I glared at him, he just kept smiling, either not affected by my glare or he just couldn't see it. I straightened myself from my minor panic attack because of the mass of spiders.

"Shall we move on, bandits need dealing with." I was very surprised my voice didn't even tremor or maybe acting as L'orage was affecting my confidence, I glanced at the corpse of a dead spider and held in a shiver. Nope, definitely not.

"Well equipped for bandits, but the road is clear. Captain Jeaven needs to hear about this, back to the keep for your just reward." Aveline seemed rather impressed with the worked we accomplished. On the way back to Kirkwall I remained lost in thought, this couldn't be a coincidence, Aveline was right the bandits were too well armed.

"Lady Aveline, I think before you talk to your captain you should look at who was to patrol this route."

"What makes you say that?" Ah, the Hawke finally spoke. I would have smiled but my face was well covered.

"These men were to well armed, yes? They also fought with slightly, not much more, skill than regular bandits. Most I have come across are simple people that feel they have no choice but to resort to thievery."

"Are you suggesting..." I rose my hand to cut off Aveline. She was an honorable woman and the current guard captain was not so much.

"I am suggesting that you look into it, there is never such a thing as a coincidence." I watched as Aveline and Hawke exchanged looks before Aveline shook her head and kept walking.

"We will look into it. Thank you for putting the pieces together." I smiled under my mask at the polite nature of one Garret Hawke.

Once in the city, I did indeed fall on my ass as a giant mabari war-hound pounced onto me and started to lick my face. I was kind of glad that the mask cut out the smell, for the most part, however, I was not pleased with the slobber that was going to soak into my clothes and make them stink for weeks on end.

"Fluffy, get off of him!" The dog obediently listened to Garret, whom at this point I assumed to be the owner of said dog. Once the dog was off me I was on my two feet again. I glared at the dog, looking at it I realized that it was the same dog that I gave treats every morning. The damn dog being too smart for its own good and I felt like smacking myself. "Sorry about him, normally he doesn't act this way." Garret apologized on Fluffy's behalf.

"It is all right. Mabari are smart, yes, perhaps he thinks I am a good person." I shrugged my shoulders. Fluffy came up to me and started sniffing at my pockets looking for the treats I normally give him when I see him. I huffed and pushed his nose away from my belt. "I will be taking my leave now if you don't mind." I faced Aveline "I will collect my payment later, I have other business to attend to."

"I suspect that getting the dog slobber out of your clothes is one of those things." Varric poked at me. I just rolled my eyes, yes dog slobber didn't wash out unless you got it quick, it was kind of gross.


End file.
